The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology through the School of Business Studies and Humanities hosted the delegation from Washington State University from 22nd May to 26th May 2023.
The aim of visitation was to reaffirm the WSU commitment to partnership with NM-AIST and develop concrete ideas for productive and mutually beneficial activities they met the Acting Vice Chancellor and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Research and Innovation Prof. Anthony Mshandete.
During the discussion Dean of the School of Business Studies and Humanities(BuSH) Dr. Liliane Pasape highlighted the overview and strategic direction of NM-AIST which is the research-intensive postgraduate program, focusing on Science, Engineering, Technology, and Innovation (SETI).
She added that , Scholars are required to conduct researches that will solve industrial and societal problems as the institution’s motto state Academia for Society.
Dr. Liliane presented the NM-AIST Schools, Centres of Excellence, and Research Chairs found at NM-AIST and BUSH links other schools and offers common core courses also recently this Year School of Business Studies started to offer master’s degree and Ph.D. programs in Innovation and Entrepreneurship Management.
In his remarks, Prof. Jerman Rose presented about Washington State University Campuses, departments, and strategic objectives of the College. Some of the undergraduate programs are offered online and he urged online education as the business.
On his side, Dr. Michael Haule mentioned areas that the international office focuses such as revising and renewing the Memorandum of Understandings and having MoUs with other institutions, engaging in research joint programs, and organizing international short courses like Swahili teaching programs.
Areas discussed during the visit included: How NM-AIST overcome the effects of the pandemic (COVID-19), the connection between companies generated from institutions, and its benefit. The delegates were impressed by the efforts, success, and relationship made by BUSH and Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology. Dr. Lilliane stated that there is still a way forward to improve collaboration as follows, joint teaching and supervision of students between NN-AIST and WSU, Joint nurturing of entrepreneurial mindset through various innovation and entrepreneurship acceleration programs such as Business Plan Competition, African Grand Challenge, WESKA, NM-AIST SETI Week Summer Schools and related ones, Collaboration in other areas that foster research and educational cooperation, etc.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Luoga on 17th April 2023 officiated a three-day training organized by the AfriqueOne-ASPIRE project in collaboration with NM-AIST with aim of enhancing serological and molecular diagnostic techniques and capacity building on pathogen diagnosis using the latest techniques.
During a speech remark, Prof. Luoga said that Zoonotic diseases which include endemic, emerging, and re-emerging zoonosis are increasingly becoming a matter of huge public health concern and it is impossible to predict which zoonotic disease will occur at any given time, however, it is important to prepare for inevitable outbreaks and a key part of preparedness through capacity building to identify the pathogen (diagnosis) early at the original site before it spreads and cause a global pandemic.
“It is in this vein that the AfriqueOne-ASPIRE project has organized this important training to build capacity on pathogen diagnosis using the latest techniques and I believe this training will help to find students and staff who will be able to conduct research on these diseases and come up with a solution” Prof. Emmanuel Luoga
He added that based on previous experiences, Tanzania has come up with a list of priority zoonotic diseases on which to focus the preparedness including Rabies, Rift Valley Fever, and other Hemorrhagic fevers (Marbug and Ebola, zoonotic influenza, anthrax, Human African trypanosomiasis, and Brucellosis.
On his side, the Principal Investigator of the AfriqueOne-ASPIRE project Prof. Joram Buza said that the objective of the training is to provide advanced hands-on training on disease diagnosis using both serological (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Rose Bengal) and molecular (quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)) techniques.
“This training is highly hands-on and each trainee will learn current laboratory practices in disease diagnosis,” said Prof. Buza
Visit of the Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Prof. James Mdoe to Nelson Mandela on Friday 31st March 2023.
The management of NM-AIST was recently visited by the Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Prof. James Mdoe.
The visit aimed, among other issues, to receive a report from the Higher Education, Economic Transformation (HEET) project which also involved the construction of the new NM-AIST hostels.
Speaking on behalf of the NM-AIST Vice Chancellor, the Deputy Vice Chancellor Academics Research and Innovation (ARI) Prof Anthony Mshandete welcomed the Deputy Secretary General Prof. Mdoe and delivered him a brief report of the project which also included the progress of the construction of the hostel.
On his part, Prof. Mdoe advised the relevant departments to work according to the time frame to achieve the goals.
The HEET project is a five-year venture that aims to strengthen the learning environment and labor market alignment of priority programs, while enhancing the delivery of knowledge to produce graduates who meet the demand and standard of the current and future labor market.
NM-AIST was visited by team from the World Bank led by Dr. Roberta Basset a Global lead for Tertiary Education and Senior Education Specialist and Mr. Mathus Kaboko Education Specialist / Management Specialist with a mission on following up on the implementation of High Education Economic Transformation Project (HEET) and ACE II projects.
The team had an opportunity to have a briefing meeting with the management and HEET committee concerning the implementation of the project at NM-AIST whereby HEET Coordinator Mr. Daniel Fissoo provided a summary of what has been done by HEET at NM-AIST.
After receiving a summary concerning the implementation of HEET project at NM-AIST, Dr. Roberta congratulated the management on how far they have reached and urge the team to work on the timeframe provided by World Bank so as to meet the targeted goal of the first phase of HEET Project.
“NM-AIST ACE II project is the best Centre of Excellence we have in Africa, I hope HEET project will benefit to learn from them how World Bank Project operates," said Dr. Roberta.
The delegates had an opportunity to tour around the Institution through areas which are under HEET Project by visiting the Video Conferencing Halls, Laboratory, and Incubation Centre.
HEET project is a five-year venture worth $425 million (Sh972 billion) that aims to strengthen the learning environment and labor market alignment of priority programs while enhancing the delivery of knowledge to produce graduates who meet the demand and standard of the current and future labor market.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) experts from The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) in collaboration with The University of Dodoma (UDOM) conducted a one-day awareness workshop among the key decision-makers and policymakers from government and private sectors on 29th March 2023 at NM-AIST Conference Hall Tengeru Campus in Arusha.
Speaking during the official opening of the workshop Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic, Research, and Innovation Prof. Antony Mshandate said that a significant number of research activities have been done to solve various social-economic challenges in Tanzania in such a way the community of Artificial Intelligence experts has been growing over the past five years.
He added that Artificial Intelligence comes with promising results for sustainable innovations and solutions that can promote the social and economic well-being of our nation. However, there is less knowledge on awareness of responsible AI
Its roles which are meant to promote good intentions for all its intended users.
"With that view, it becomes a necessity for creating awareness of Artificial Intelligence and its roles in sustainable economic development among the key decision-makers and policymakers from the government and private sectors," said Prof. Mshandete
On His side, UDOM Lecturer and Principle Investigator at AI4D Research Lab Project Dr. Ally Nyamawe said that this workshop aims to bring together Artificial Intelligence experts, decision-makers, and policymakers to clear the existing gap of lack of AI awareness that has been preventing the easy adoption of AI solutions and the development of required frameworks and guidelines that guide the use of AI and its roles in sustainable economic development in Tanzania and Africa at large.